"I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted to take care of my community," WCU-LA graduate and cohort speaker Reece Castillo said after the ceremony. "I really think that being a big part of the community and helping them see what they can achieve through prevention is the biggest thing. As nurses, we often think of nursing as treating in the hospital but, really, prevention is where it's at and I really want to do that as a nurse."

Monika Yazeryan, who joined Castillo on the stage as a student speaker, was inspired to be nurse by her mother.

"I saw her go through nursing school and I grew up in the scrub life, so from the get-go I knew I always wanted to be a nurse," Yazeryan said.